12:00 pm, October 18, 2022
Stellantis UK has carried out a major management shake-up by shuffling manufacturer bosses, as it seeks to streamline relationships with its dealers.
The automotive giant is carrying out significant restructuring plans to the way it does business in the UK, including multi-franchising agreements and axeing 138 dealers.
Core to the restructure is the shuffling of key senior management and the creation of a new Network Operations department.
The move will ‘create a structure that integrates the multiple retailer contact points, simplifies policies and procedures, and improves communication whilst maintaining the integrity of the respective brands’, Stellantis said.
Along with pushing Alfa Romeo and DS Automobiles down the agency route from summer 2023, Stellantis will also create a new Premium Brand division consisting of the two firms, which will ‘support elevation of the customer experience’ so the ‘demands of these customers can be met more effectively’, it said.
Heading up the Premium Brand division will be current Peugeot UK boss Julie David.
Meanwhile, Stellantis’s mainstream brands – comprising Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat and Abarth, Jeep and Vauxhall – will remain as distinct organisations.
Current Vauxhall marketing director Adam Wood will move to head up Peugeot.
In Wood’s place, current interim Vauxhall boss James Taylor will formally take up the reins as managing director for the British brand.
DS Automobiles boss Jules Tilstone will move to Jeep as its managing director, while current Alfa Romeo and Jeep boss Damien Dally will move to become Fiat and Abarth MD.
Fiat and Abarth’s current boss, Greg Taylor, will move to lead Citroen UK.
A new department called Network Operations will unite sales and vehicle flow functions, and bring in a ‘multi-brand regional structure’ for the mainstream brands.
Its aim is to ‘reduce complexity, simplify programmes and policies, and increase the standard and consistency of communication with our retailer partners’, said Stellantis.
It will be headed up by current Citroen UK MD Eurig Druce.
Other management appointments include Stephanie Howson as the new customer experience director, Richard Chamberlain as LCV business director, and Nick Richards as B2B director.
The new used vehicles boss will be announced at a later date.
All appointments are effective from January 1, 2023.
Paul Willcox, UK group managing director, said: ‘We have a significant electrified product offensive in the coming years placing us well ahead of the UK government’s mandate for zero-emission vehicles.
‘Our new management structure for our UK operations prepares us for the future and leverages our core strengths.
‘We anticipate significant opportunities for our retail partners through this restructure with a clear strategic direction.’
